Wednesday, September 30, 2009

over at the Paper Crafts website. As you can probably tell from my cards, I really love little critter stamps. Paper Crafts is having a contest where all of the prizes are critter-themed. What's not to love?

I've shared a picture of the prizes above. HERE is the link to enter (this is a random drawing-so easy!) Good luck!

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Please join me on Saturday, October 3 for a fun-filled day of cropping, stamping, cardmaking...whatever you enjoy papercrafting! I will be hosting a crop from 10-4 at the Skowhegan Sno-Hawks Club on Route 2 in Skowhegan.The cost of the crop is $10 per person (to cover the cost of the building rental) unless you purchased a ShareCroppers kit during the months of August of September-then you crop for FREE!I will provide drinks and snacks for all, but please bring your own lunch.The question a lot of you have is: What do I bring? My answer: anything you'd like to work on! You can make cards or layouts, whichever you choose. Definitely bring your basic supplies (paper trimmers, adhesives, etc.) and an assortment of papers and embellishments. My Cricut, Sizzix, punches, stamps and idea books will be available for you to use as well.I will have a few items from the kits available for purchase, along with some extra goodies, but you are under no obligation to buy anything. The purpose of this crop is to get together with other papercrafters and HAVE FUN! When else do you get a whole day to just scrap and stamp, uninterrupted?Please RSVP as soon as possible if you'd like to come. You can call me at 474-6682 or email me at sharecropperskits@gmail.com. I need to have a head count by Thursday, Oct.1 to determine if there is enough interest.Hope to see you all Saturday!

Saturday, September 26, 2009

as yesterday's "Welcome to the World" card. You can see the similar design elements, but with very different papers and embellishments. This card features leftover papers from my wedding album, which was a kit from Club SEI. You can also purchase these papers separately-they are from the Bridgeport line. I used the Upper Crest border punch from Fiskars, along with rub-ons from Basic Grey's Urban Prairie line. The "Thank You" rub-on is by Rusty Pickle. Note the sanded background-I used Black Magic cardstock by Core'dinations. This makes a great card base because the reverse side (along with the core) is that pretty aqua color. Cards with black bases are sometimes difficult to write in (unless you add a lighter colored journaling box inside.) The Black Magic line gives you a pretty and super-easy alternative.

CROP NEWS: I will be having a crop from 10-4 on Saturday, Oct. 3. Anyone and everyone is invited to attend. The crop will be held at the Skowhegan Snowmobile Club on Route 2. The fee for this crop is $10, unless you purchased one of the ShareCroppers kits in August or September. If so, then you crop for FREE! Please let me know by Wednesday, 9/30 if you will be attending. I will provide drinks and snacks-please bring a lunch or you can scoot out for take-out, whichever you prefer.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Here is the baby card that I wanted to share with you all. I had originally submitted this to Papercrafts magazine for a sketch call. Although it wasn't chosen, I still love the color scheme and that cute little elephant. The elephant is actually a sticker that I backed with white cardstock to give it stability, when popped it up with foam tape. I added a little detail by tying some white cotton thread around his tail. This card was made with scraps that I had leftover from a scrapbook kit from Momenta (formerly American Traditionals.) It is from the Born to be Wild line. I love that the colors and designs could go for either a boy or a girl.

I am putting together details for a crop I will be hosting on World Card Making Day (Saturday, Oct. 3.) I will share details about that soon. Remember, if you purchased a ShareCroppers Kit during the months of August or September, you can attend the crop for free! Otherwise, there will be a nominal fee to help cover the cost of renting the space. Watch for more details over the next few days.

Here is another card, as promised. (Also a "dud" but I liked it so much that I made a similar one for my husband's birthday last month.) The stamps are by Inkadinkado, and I got them in the dollar bins at Jo's a few months ago. I have also seen them as part of a larger set at the Super Jo's in Bangor. Note the folded down edge of the pocket-just another neat little way to use your border punches or decorative edge scissors-snip the edge and then fold it down. Looks great with double-sided paper. (This double-sided paper is from SEI.)

Also, I wanted to share a link to a cute project by Jennifer McGuire. It's over at 2peas. It's a school-themed treat holder, but could be easily modified to be a Halloween treat holder. I just may have to make some using my new little Halloween stamps from Hero Arts. I will try to share some of the Halloween cards that I made recently with them. So cute!

Thanks for checking out the blog today, and check back tomorrow for a cute baby card based on a Papercrafts sketch call.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

I have to be honest-since school started I really haven't been very creative, so I don't have much to share or to blog about! I feel like I'm being stretched in every possible direction. Making cards has taken a "back seat" this fall. There just aren't enough hours in the day between my semester at UMF, my family, my house (seriously neglected!) and all of the other things that seem to make it onto my to-do list.

Over the next few days, though, I hope to share with you some of the cards that I lovingly refer to as my "duds" (the ones that haven't been picked up by publishers.) Despite their "dud" status, I still like them and hope you all do, too.

I also just heard from Jami over at http://www.scrapbooking.com/. I will have a short article and card set featured over there starting on November 1. Be sure to check it out!

This card was one that I submitted to Papercrafts "Stamp It" issue. I just love these magazines-I refer back to them often. This card features a happy little palette of yellow, white and dark brown. The stamps are from Technique Tuesday, and the border punch is by Martha Stewart. Thanks for looking!

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

I'm excited to share my latest kit with you, since it features lots of my favorite kinds of projects-CARDS! This kit is jam-packed with gorgeous coordinating patterned paper from My Mind's Eye and includes supplies to make 20 different cards! Yes, you can make 20 complete cards, with envelopes, for $20 plus tax! Don't you just love a good deal?

The photo above shows three of my favorite projects, although your kit will include instructions and photos of all 20 cards.

This kit features lots of tips for working with and mixing patterned papers. Each card features a different technique (such as a new way to use your favorite border punch) or approach for patterned papers and will help you make the most of them. Also included are new card designs and some adorable new patterns for accents. What's great is that after you've made all of these cards, you can carry those techniques over to cards that you design, using the patterned papers that you already have in your stash.

The cards in this kit are great to have on hand in your own card stash, or they would also make a great gift for someone. There are no sentiments on these cards-you can leave them plain for notecards, add your own stamped sentiments or rub-ons, or use my stamps at our first monthly crop to be held later this month!

I will be taking orders for this kit starting today, and will be delivering them on Saturday. To order, simply email me at sharecropperskits@gmail.com or call me at 474-6682. I also have a few of last month's charter kit left, so if you missed out just let me know. Watch on the 15th for September's second kit which includes a recipe box and papers from Cosmo Cricket's Early Bird line!